


Lay You Down To Sleep

by TriaKane



Series: The Archer Lay Bleeding [1]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Loss, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-06
Updated: 2015-03-06
Packaged: 2018-03-16 15:57:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3494258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TriaKane/pseuds/TriaKane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl carries Beth out of the hospital.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lay You Down To Sleep

**Author's Note:**

> Just something I wanted to get out of my head. I prefer to live in denial, but Daryl suffers so beautifully, I thought he needed this.

He wouldn’t let go of her. Couldn’t. When Rick had bent down to scoop her up, Daryl had actually pushed him away and growled, “leave ‘er be.”

Carrying her down the stairs of the hospital, he remembering offering her the piggyback ride. 

_(This is a serious piggyback.)_

The sunlight burned his eyes, making him squint as he carried her out. He was only dimly aware of the shock and horror on their faces. 

Maggie’s keening wail. 

He didn’t know what to do.

Abraham handed his gun to Rosita and stepped forward, holding out his hands as if approaching a wild animal. “I can take her.”

Daryl shook his head once, vehemently.

“We should go,” Rick said, looking back at the hospital warily. “We need to go.”

Daryl awkwardly climbed in the backseat of the suburban with Beth still in his arms. He was vaguely aware of Maggie and Glenn beside him, Maggie stroking Beth’s leg unconsciously, sniffling.

Somewhere outside Atlanta they finally stopped. Michonne, Sasha, Rosita and Abraham scouted the area while Rick began to dig a grave.

Daryl held Beth’s limp body _(you’re heavier than you look)_ as he leaned against a tree and slid slowly down. Carol sat silently nearby.

Beth’s face was so peaceful. _(Don’t you think that’s beautiful?)_

Daryl shifted, pulling the hanky from his back pocket. It was still stained from the berries Beth picked in the woods.

Carol handed him a bottle of water which he took without raising his eyes to hers.

Gently he began cleaning the dried blood from her face and hair. 

_(Whoever did this cared.)_

“It’s ready,” Rick said, squatting beside him.

Daryl nodded sharply. Was he ready?

He felt, more than saw, the others rise, leaving him alone with her. Never again to see the cornflower blue of her eyes. Never hear her sing. Never... never have I ever... never will I ever... 

His rough fingers caressed her lips, her jaw and tangled in the leather cord around her neck. He’d seen the necklace a thousand times before, knew at one time there had been half a dozen silver charms on it. Only two remained, a heart and a sand dollar. 

Daryl slipped the cord from her neck and put it around his. 

Her heart beside his.

He watched Noah spread a floral sheet on the ground beside him. Daryl laid her in the middle and gently wrapped the sheet around her, leaving her pale face visible. 

Some distant part of him was glad she’d gone quickly, that she wouldn’t turn. She would always be Beth.

Daryl carried her slowly to the grave. Maggie stepped forward, Glenn by her side; she kissed her baby sister’s cheek and stroked her face one last time before turning into Glenn’s embrace, awash with fresh tears.

Stepping into the shallow hole, Daryl wasn’t sure he could actually lay her down. Carol’s leaned close, her hand resting gently on his shoulder.

“You have to let her go now.”

Never. Never... 

Reverently, he laid her down on the soft dirt and pulled the sheet across her face. Tears burned his eyes and dotted the sheet.

“Aw, Beth...” he whispered.

_(You're gonna miss me so bad when I'm gone, Daryl Dixon.)_

Daryl stepped from the hole as they all stood around, Father Gabriel speaking. Daryl barely heard him. They hadn’t known her, not the real her, just the girl she’d shown them. 

They hadn’t known how strong she was. How hopeful. They didn’t know the way her nose wrinkled up when he ate a pig’s foot. Or that she bit her lip when she was concentrating while tracking. Or that she sang louder when she knew he was listening. 

Gabriel paused momentarily after he finished eulogizing a girl he hadn’t known, then said, “Amen.”

Five doves took flight at that moment, fluttering gracefully away. Daryl watched them go, Beth’s silver heart pressed against his chest.


End file.
